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THE ECOSYSTEM INITIATIVE

For Ideas

Start Garden was founded on the ethic of finding fast, inexpensive ways to turn ideas into actions. Today, we work to make accessible platforms to do just that. Learn more about the 5x5 Night monthly pitch competition. Check out some of the regional resources for new entrepreneurs.

For Startups

Our region has a unusual number of global manufacturing enterprises transitioning into the age of the Internet of Things. At the center of where tech startups converge with global manufacturing is the Seamless IoT Commercialization Program.

For Small Businesses

In spite of how much communities desire entrepreneurship, first-time entrepreneurs often find themselves in a desert of scarce resources. Learn what we do to align our Ecosystem around new entrepreneurs.

2017 Annual Report

The Grand Rapids entrepreneurial ecosystem is changing. Local entrepreneurs are making bigger, faster moves than ever before and their hard work is paying off. One community is coming together from many local neighborhoods to support a new generation of entrepreneurs. Here's our 2017 Annual Report showcasing the strides within the local entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Membership

A strong web of relationships can be more essential to a startup’s success than funding. So, we built a neighborhood within a neighborhood in downtown Grand Rapids where venture investors and entrepreneurs work together.